


Some Like Rubies, Some Like Pearls

by LaughingStones



Series: Obligatory Fantasy AU (But Not the One You Were Expecting) [4]
Category: Motorcity
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragons, Friends With Benefits, Humor, M/M, Pining, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-26 05:30:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaughingStones/pseuds/LaughingStones
Summary: Chuck runs into an old friend! Mike is dismayed.Mike acquires a new suitor! Chuck is dismayed and somewhat intimidated, becausedragon.





	Some Like Rubies, Some Like Pearls

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Curlicue for the beta(s)!

Mike had learned fast what to do in crowded taverns with Chuck. The mage was edgy around strangers, and the more strangers together the more nervous he got, so Mike would find an out of the way corner to sit, and put himself between Chuck and the rest of the room. It wasn't completely comfortable to have his back turned to the room, but it wasn't like Mike had anything to fear from normal weapons, so it was fine.

Unfortunately, this time the only seats free were at the bar. Mike did his best to put himself between Chuck and the bulk of the room and hoped that no one would be drawn to the blond hair and the slender build today. It wasn't a terribly common occurrence, but it'd happened a few times since Mike had been with him, people looking for company for a night, or once a woman offering it in exchange for a spell she wanted done. Mike thought the only part that didn't make sense was that such offers didn't happen more often, but Chuck seemed to think any proposition aimed at him was some kind of trick, a sign of some devious ulterior motive.

That part Mike didn't get at all, but he didn't need to understand to help Chuck be more comfortable. Now he dealt with the propositions whenever possible, staying friendly while turning people down, and most of the time it went fine. Sometimes the response to “Sorry, he's not interested,” was “What about you?” which kind of puzzled him because he wasn't much like Chuck. If you wanted a pretty blond mage, why would you settle for his bodyguard?

Tonight, though, no one bothered them right up until someone said, “ _Chuck?_ ”

Mike looked around from his dinner to see a young woman in sensible traveling gear, a sword on her hip and the thrum of human magic under her skin. Tossing a thick brown braid over her shoulder, she crossed her arms, staring past Mike like he wasn't even there.

“Ruby?!” Chuck said, peering around Mike, and under the startlement he sounded _pleased_. A friend, apparently, a welcome face. Not someone Mike needed to deal with. He rolled his shoulders to try to settle the bristling dorsal spines he didn't have in this form.

“It _is_ you!” she said, grinning, and stepped past Mike to clap Chuck on the shoulder. “What are you doing so far from Collierstown? I thought you'd settled there for good!”

“I did, I have, I--what are _you_ doing out here?” Chuck demanded, and only huffed a little when she snorted and stepped in to hug him. After a second he even hugged back.

Mike did his best to ignore the surge of jealousy. Chuck wouldn't hug _him_ just casually. But then, Mike was his bodyguard, not a close friend.

There were no free seats nearby, and it took Mike a moment too long to realize he should offer his, but by then the newcomer was leaning on the bar next to Chuck, telling him about the noble scholar who was her current patron. Mike set himself to finish his meal and keep an eye on the rest of the room, which should keep him from sneaking glances at Chuck, smiling and laughing and _relaxed_ with this person Mike didn't even know.

She seemed nice enough, Mike guessed. Energetic and loud and sarcastic, eager to exchange stories with Chuck about ruins explored, magical mishaps had. Talking with her got Chuck just as loud, waving his hands in illustration of what he was saying, rolling his eyes at people's expectations of mages.

It made sense that another mage would understand things that Mike couldn't, he guessed, so it shouldn't be a surprise the way she and Chuck were joking with each other, Chuck giggling in that high-pitched, snorty, adorable way he had without even looking self-conscious about it. It was _nice_ to see him so happy, Mike told himself firmly. Nice to see him relaxed and enjoying himself and talking eagerly to someone he trusted.

Mike ate the last bite of chicken soup and turned on his stool, propping his elbows on the bar behind him to watch the room. A few tables away was a group of people playing cards, and Mike was pretty sure they weren't all human. He thought the slender woman was something like a river naiad, from the ripple and eddy of her magic in his senses, but he was still debating whether the burly man beside her was part ogre or something else, when the conversation at his elbow caught his attention again.

“--You could stand to work off a little _tension_ , yeah?” said Chuck’s mage friend.

Chuck sputtered and laughed, cheeks going pink. “Ruby! What, seriously? Geez, it's been--”

“A damn long time, yeah,” she laughed back, and elbowed him. “What, you forget how? Or--you got a better option?” Her voice went sly, and Mike suddenly realized what she was talking about--or _proposing_ , really, she was--she’d used her friendship to get close to Chuck and now she was trying to get that too, and that sucked! She couldn't do that, it wasn't right!

Chuck didn't seem upset, just snorted at her. “Yeah, right, I wish.” He was quiet for a moment, and Mike threw a sideways glance to find him chewing on his lip, staring into his own empty bowl. His shoulders pulled back as he straightened suddenly, mouth firming decisively. “You know what? Why not.”

For a moment it didn't make sense, Mike thought he must have misunderstood in the first place. Chuck didn't do that, ever, never wanted to go off with someone like that. Of course, they'd never run into anyone he knew before, but surely--

“Yeah!” Chuck’s friend cheered, clapping him on the back. “I've got a room at the inn next door. Let's go!”

Chuck was laughing, still flushed as he slid off his stool, and Mike stood up in alarm. “Wait, what? Chuck, you can't just go with her!”

Chuck turned to him, a puzzled frown visible behind his bangs, and Mike abruptly realized he needed a reason. He fumbled for a second before coming out with, “Who will protect you?”

Chuck sighed. “Mikey, it's for one night, and it’s not like we're out in the wilds here. I'll be fine, okay?”

Mike stared at him. On the one hand, yeah, Chuck probably wouldn't be in any danger for one night. On the other, Mike didn't know Chuck’s friend at all and wasn't sure he was ready to trust her with his treasure even in these relatively safe circumstances. Especially if she was planning to--to bed him. She wasn't even giving off any of the mating signals Mike had learned to look for in humans, wasn't licking her lips or leaning close to Chuck or smiling in a meaningful way, shy or excited or hungry--she just looked cheerful and a little sardonic, watching him and Chuck. Was she really interested in Chuck at all? What if she wasn't, what if she actually just meant to steal from him or something once his guard was down, meant to _hurt_ him--

“Mike!” Chuck hissed, and Mike realized he was glaring at Ruby, whose eyebrows were rising high. He looked away, flustered and irritated, hands working anxiously at his sides as his claws itched to come out, and Chuck huffed and said, “He's kind of overprotective, give me a minute, huh?”

Ruby snorted and shrugged, unconcerned, and turned to make her way through the crowd. Chuck grabbed Mike by the elbow and brushed back his bangs with the other hand so Mike got the full brunt of his tight-lipped unimpressed look.

“What is _with_ you?”

Mike struggled to find the right words. “How do you know she's _safe?_ ” he managed, and then babbled on, “She doesn't act like she wants you, so what does she really want, how do you know you can _trust_ her? What if she--does something, hurts you and I'm not there--”

“Whoa, dude, slow down,” Chuck said. He was still frowning, but it was mostly thoughtful now, with just an edge of annoyance. “I've known Ruby since we were kids, okay, she was apprenticed in the town nearby. She's not gonna hurt me,” he added, almost gently. Then he looked away, cheeks going pink. “And of _course_ she doesn't really want me, it's not--it's just a friendly thing, it's--stress relief. It's not about… anything else. I didn't think she'd still be up for it these days, I mean we were teenagers the last time we--um. But apparently… Anyway.”

“Oh,” Mike said, when Chuck fidgeted in the pause. Stress relief, a friendly thing. Mike had done that a few times. He’d liked it, it had been fun back then, before he'd gotten a stupid, hopeless crush. It wouldn't be fun now, he didn't think, he'd want too badly for it to be Chuck with him, it wouldn't be fair to his partner. But Chuck wouldn't have that problem. It made sense that he would want to do that sometimes, if he was with someone he could trust.

(Like Mike, he could trust _Mike_ , Mike would treat him so well--no, treasure, he was _treasure_. Stop thinking about… that.)

“Um. So,” Chuck said, shoulders hunching when Mike didn't say anything else. He should, probably, but he didn't know what to say. Chuck's mouth pulled into a rueful, uncertain twist, and his voice was a little dubious. “You gonna be good with this?”

Mike swallowed, reminded. _I knew this imprinting thing was going to be a problem!_ He couldn't be like that, had to prove he could control himself, not be driven by his instincts.

“Yeah,” he said, dry-mouthed. “Yeah, if--you know her, you trust her, that's--that's good. I'm good.” He licked his lips, offered up an almost-successful smile. “Have… a good night.”

Chuck’s lips parted, startled, and then he smiled back, patting Mike on the shoulder. “Thanks. You too, bro.”

Mike watched him go and then sat back down. Maybe he could get something stronger to drink than beer.

*

Several days after the evening they'd run into Ruby, Mike and Chuck were on a road that wound through low green hills, headed for the nearest town. Mike seemed to have gotten over his dragony overprotective spasm, and Chuck had finally given into the curiosity that had been building for some time and was badgering him with questions.

“What changes when you're in dragon shape versus human? Like, how much of your senses and instincts carry over?”

Mike squinted and tilted his head to one side in a thinking gesture, and Chuck snapped his fingers and said, “Yeah, and that! Body language! Moving and acting like a human, does that come naturally somehow, or did you have to learn it gradually?”

Mike was laughing at him, eyes crinkling. “Dude, I can't answer more than one question at a time, okay, you gotta pick one!”

Chuck huffed. “Fine, body language first.”

Mike nodded and took a moment to answer, thinking again. “I guess it comes naturally? Like--uh, in different places people use different signals, move different ways and it means different stuff, but, like, I don't remember ever having to learn it. I just--move like the humans around me move. And then, when I'm in a different place, I move like those people.”

Chuck’s mouth came open, thinking about that. Some kind of subconscious absorption, maybe, picking up the local gestures through unconscious imitation?

Mike laughed suddenly. “I don't think about it most of the time, cuz it messes me up when I do. It's just like words, if I think about all the different ways I know to say ‘yes’, I end up coming out with the wrong one and I might not even notice.”

“Oh,” Chuck said, abruptly realizing, “oh, of course. I'm an idiot.” It wasn't anything as simple as an unconscious learning process. “You said you don't have to learn a local language, you know it as soon as someone speaks it to you.” Fucking dragons, god that would be _so useful_. Although of course it was almost as good to have a dragon with you to do the translating. “I bet the body language just goes along with that.”

“Yeah, seems right,” Mike said, shrugging. As casual as if it wasn't a totally unfair and amazing ability to have. But then, being fireproof was pretty nice too, and Chuck actually had no room to complain about that one.

“Okay, how about the other question, carryover of senses and instincts from dragon shape to human?”

Mike blinked, frowning. “I dunno, buddy, that's a pretty broad question. Uh…” He nibbled on his lip, thinking about it, and Chuck carefully looked away at the road ahead of them, the hills around. Shaggy white and brown goats were scattered across the nearest hillside, occasionally bleating at each other. The goatherd was a small, distant figure at the top of the hill.

“I guess--a lot carries over,” Mike said, still frowning. “Like, I mean, you noticed the thing about, uh, getting kinda distracted by, y’know, gold and stuff.” He shrugged, shoving a hand through his hair, and Chuck’s eyes narrowed with intrigue at his obvious discomfort. Mike’s cheeks were flushing faintly just from mentioning treasure, that was _fascinating_.

“So that stays the same,” Mike went on. “And I can feel magic in either shape. Can see through illusions, uh…” He trailed off, thinking again, and then his frown suddenly changed, his head coming up, tilting back to stare at the cloudy sky as his whole body stiffened. He turned in a slow circle, eyes intent on the clouds, and then stopped, focused off to one side and slightly behind them.

“Mike?” Chuck said, flames licking nervously under his skin, ready to emerge in defense at any minute. He couldn't see more than a speck in the direction Mike was staring, a distant bird, maybe. Except even as he watched, the speck elongated into a wavy line, shrank to a speck again--and grew alarmingly fast. A dot, a spot, a dark blotch against the sky, no knowing how large it was or anything but that it was moving fast.

“What is it?” Chuck asked, annoyingly squeaky and high-pitched as always in moments like this.

“A dragon,” Mike murmured.

Head whipping around to stare at him, Chuck had to bite back an _Are you sure?!_ because he obviously was, it hadn't been a guess. Taking a deep breath to keep from shrieking, Chuck said, “Is it--he--is this an attack?”

Mike actually looked away from the fast approaching shape to blink at him. “I wouldn't think so. Why would anyone attack strangers on the road? There's no war _here_ , and they'll know I'm a dragon anyway.”

Right, that… didn't actually soothe Chuck’s fears at all. Just because it didn't make sense to Mike didn't mean it wasn't happening. Chuck knew the spells to control and subdue a dragon, but if he used them Mike might not trust him anymore. Mike didn't think there was any danger, so he wouldn't be on guard, especially against another dragon--might not even be willing to fight another dragon if this one proved aggressive--

“Whoa, hey, buddy,” Mike said, putting a concerned hand on Chuck’s shoulder and looking at _Chuck_ instead of the now fully visible _dragon_ \--

Chuck stared up, trying not to hyperventilate as it curved and soared through the air toward them, serpentine and wingless. In the nearby distance came the sound of terrified bleating and a more distant human yell from the goatherd as the goats scattered, fleeing the approach of a massive predator. It was doing figure eights now, looping and curling and still nearing at an impressive speed even with the fancy flying.

Beside him, Mike gave a sigh. “Just relax, okay? I've got you.” Suddenly Chuck’s view of the sky was blocked by the coppery-bronze scales of Mike’s underbelly, the space around him filling with that dry heat that radiated off Mike in this form. Chuck gasped a bit, breathing in that strange, acrid scent of _dragon_ , and put a hand on the warm scales above his head, some of his tension easing.

It was probably stupid to feel so much safer now, especially when the other dragon might take the shift for an aggressive move, but. It still felt really good to have his own dragon standing protectively over him.

He did want to be able to see, though, so he edged up to peer out from under Mike’s chest. Mike’s long neck curved for a moment, one gold eye narrowing at Chuck before he huffed a cloud of smoke and turned back to watch the other dragon--who was now hanging mid-air a little distance away, black scales gleaming as it twined and twisted through ever more complicated curving figures.

If it was a threat display, it was very attractive, Chuck thought distantly as he froze, waiting. He couldn't tell if the dragon was quite close enough to be in flaming distance, but it was obviously agile and quick, could lunge in a second--and had stopped, he slowly realized, and was hovering nearby instead of stooping on them right away. Maybe attack wasn't the first thing on its mind.

Chuck breathed out, feeling the strung-taut muscles in his back start to loosen, and began to take in details with a more attentive eye, the scholarly part of him busily taking notes.

The black dragon looked longer than Mike, nose to tail-tip, but much less broad in the body. As it swirled around, Chuck caught glimpses of a ruddy mane and a crest of horns, neither of which Mike had, and the red ridge running down the newcomer’s back looked more like hair than like Mike's spines. A very different kind of dragon, then. Like that wasn't obvious by the way it was moving, which looked completely different from the one brief time Chuck had seen Mike fly. Granted, Mike was just as capable of crazy aerial acrobatics, but agile as he was, he did rely on his massive wings to keep him in the air, a constraint the other dragon lacked.

Chuck hadn't realized there _were_ wingless dragons. He had known various dragon breeds existed, but he'd never expected to be face to face with not only one in dragon shape, but two at once.

Mike's neck was stretched out to its full length towards the other dragon, and when Chuck peered back, his tail was sweeping through the air behind him, curling back and forth. Those copper wings were slightly spread and quivering, eager, like it was taking everything Mike had not to jump into the air to greet the other dragon.

He said something that rumbled and clicked, and the gentle thunder of his voice made Chuck breathe in and lick his lips. He was pretty sure it was messed up to react that way to the voice of someone so inhumanly big.

The other dragon responded, and Chuck couldn't guess what he'd said but he thought the tone sounded friendly enough.

Which didn't explain why it made Mike's whole scaly body jerk with surprise. “ _Oh_ ,” Mike said, sounding startled, his neck pulling back.

“Mikey?” Chuck said, putting a hand on the warm copper scales of Mike's chest.

“Oh, um,” Mike continued, and then the sheltering bulk above Chuck was gone and Mike was human beside him again.

Human and _blushing_.

It took Chuck a moment of staring to be sure, but Mike’s olive cheeks were definitely going rosy, his wide eyes fixed on the other dragon. Chuck glanced back up and realized that despite the way that long, snaky body was twisting and curling, the dragon was somehow managing to keep its eyes fixed unwaveringly on Mike.

Mike had to cough a few times before he managed an awkward, “He's definitely not going to attack. He's just, uh. Saying hi.”

Chuck’s eyebrows lifted and he glanced up at the increasingly flexible contortions the serpent dragon was going through, all the while staring at Mike. “Uh- _huh._ Isn't it rude not to greet him back?”

Mike let out a kind of strangled cough. “No! No, um, I'm good. In fact, uh, we can keep walking, that's probably all he wanted, was to say hi, so we can just--” Taking Chuck by the elbow, Mike steered him around to face the way they'd been going originally and began walking hastily, not quite dragging Chuck along. It could've been more obvious that he was lying, but only if he'd said so out loud.

Chuck eyed him a moment, glanced back over his shoulder at the dragon, who had just stopped curling around itself and was staring after them, and bit back a smile. He'd eat his ink bottle if those contortions weren't some kind of courtship display, but apparently Mike wasn't in the mood, or the other dragon wasn't his type. Which made it legal fodder for teasing.

“Pretty impressive greeting, I thought,” Chuck said. “Didn't you like it, Mike?”

Mike made an awkward noise at the back of his throat. “It was okay,” he mumbled, and Chuck eyed him. He was still red-cheeked, eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead.

Throwing a glance over his shoulder, Chuck said, “Oh, hey, he's following us! I guess that wasn't all he wanted!”

It sounded like Mike choked. He glanced back at the other dragon, who was coiling around himself again while drifting after them, and huffed softly, and his face was even redder when he turned back. Chuck was thrilled.

“Come on, Mikey,” Chuck said, “that _can't_ all be just to say ‘hi’, he's got to be saying other stuff, right? You gotta interpret for me!”

“Um,” Mike said, giving him a sideways look. Chuck did his best to keep a straight face.

“It totally looks like he's happy to meet you!” he pointed out. “Does he want to be friends?”

Eyes flicking over Chuck’s face, Mike looked alarmed, Chuck wasn't sure why. “Oh--I mean. I, uh. Dunno.”

“Come on, everybody likes making friends, right?” Chuck went on. He glanced back at the tight loops and spirals the other dragon was making just behind and above them. “...Especially flexible, athletic friends,” he said, abruptly a little less sure this teasing was a good idea.

Mike looked back again like he couldn't help it, and when he turned back Chuck was pretty sure he couldn't _get_ any redder. He slid Chuck an uncertain look. “You, um. You want to, like, try to say hi?”

Chuck blinked at him. “Bro, he's not trying to make friends with _me_.”

Mike opened his mouth and closed it again. “Yeah, but. If you. Want…”

He looked sort of unsettled, unhappy, and Chuck wasn't sure what was going on, but this was not how he'd meant the teasing to go. He was looking for something to say when there was a breeze from behind them and someone spoke _right behind_ Chuck.

“Yeah, like the little guy said--”

Chuck shrieked and spun around, Mike turning just as fast to step half in front of him.

“-- _flexible_ and _athletic_ ,” the man standing there said smugly, apparently not even noticing their startlement. He was shorter and way broader than either of them, muscles bulging in his arms and chest under the vest he wore. His shoulders were about twice the width of Chuck’s and his hair was black, and if Chuck had imagined what the serpent dragon’s human form would look like, he was pretty sure it wouldn't have been this.

“Thanks, Skinny,” the guy said, glancing at Chuck just long enough for a brief nod before he went back to staring fixedly at Mike, not blinking. “See, the nerd gets that Texas is awesome, cuz he was _watching_. You gotta watch when someone's showing you stuff, dude. Otherwise you'll miss it! Here, check out Texas.” He flexed his massive arms, turning and twisting to show them off from different angles, and kept his eyes on Mike, unblinking.

“Oh geez,” Mike muttered. He seemed to be trying _not_ to look, but his eyes kept sliding back, wide and fixed on those shifting muscles. His blush was still going strong.

“Hey,” the guy said, “come on, you know you wanna look Texas over. Pretty good, right? _Yeah_ , you know it!”

“Um, yeah, very, um,” Mike said, grabbed Chuck’s elbow and tugged him around, hastily striding away.

Chuck couldn't help staring at him, intrigued. Because the thing was, it wasn't like Mike didn't get hit on. Chuck had seen it happen, and while sometimes Mike didn't seem to notice, usually he caught on fairly quick and dealt with it very capably. He might seem a bit puzzled, but never flustered like this, and Chuck had never seen him blush over it, either. He'd turn his suitor down, casual and mildly apologetic, maybe buy them a drink, and twenty minutes later they'd be chatting happily with him, content to be friends.

So this was… different. Maybe it was that the stranger was a dragon, that would make sense. Maybe Mike was only interested in other dragons, or maybe he only liked guys who were both ridiculously muscular and could tie themselves in knots, but either way, he actually registered this guy as an option, unlike every other attempt to catch his eye Chuck had seen.

Judging by the way he was blushing and alternately avoiding looking and _staring_ , he liked the option, too. So it was kind of weird that he was so invested in not admitting it.

...Not that Chuck _wanted_ him to take the guy up on his offer. He just couldn't guess why Mike was reluctant.

Chuck yelped as he was abruptly elbowed aside, the guy--Texas, apparently--catching up and shoving in between them. “Hey, come on, you're not lookin’!” He flexed his arms again and Mike backstepped, circling around behind him to step up between him and Chuck again. Chuck was both touched and unnerved. He was perfectly happy that Mike wanted to stay protectively close, but being in the close vicinity of two dragons having a disagreement over walking order seemed like a good way to get bruised or broken completely by accident.

“I did look!” Mike said, as Texas tried the same maneuver to get around _him_ and Mike blocked him, sidestepping. Chuck skittered safely ahead, out of the way.

“I just--we're kind of busy here!” Mike went on. “Traveling, you know.”

Texas started posing again, apparently satisfied that he had Mike’s full attention now, and Mike hastily turned on his heel and caught up with Chuck. Texas plunged up behind them and this time Chuck got out of his way before he could crash between them. Mike was starting to frown, although his cheeks were still flushed.

“Yeah, Texas knows traveling!” Texas said. “Texas travels a lot! Been all over, crazy awesome places. I can tell you about ‘em!”

Chuck dropped back a little in hopes of removing himself from danger. Mike immediately took the opportunity to cut behind Texas and get between him and Chuck again, and Chuck groaned internally at the sulky look coming over Texas’s face.

Texas started to try to get around Mike again and Mike actually hissed, a little puff of white smoke coming out of his mouth as he snapped, “Stop trying to get between me and my treasure!”

Texas’s eyes widened and then he frowned, glancing around. “What treasure? Texas isn't trying nothing, I got all the best treasure anyway, but dude, if you got invisible treasure you gotta let Texas know because that's kinda cool.”

Mike huffed at him. “No, _him!_ The pretty mage, he's mine, so stop cutting me off.”

Chuck licked his lips and bravely swallowed the squeaky noise that wanted to come out, his face burning. Wow, okay. _He's mine_ , that was… something to hear Mike say. Not even mentioning the ‘pretty mage’ part. Of course it was only the treasure thing, not the same as what it kind of sounded like, but _still_.

Texas blinked and gave Chuck a bewildered once-over, brows quirking together in a way that made it very clear he had no idea what could possibly make Chuck worthy of being treasure, although his eyes did linger thoughtfully on Chuck’s hair. Then he shrugged and looked back to Mike, dismissing Chuck from his attention.

“Yeah, sure, no problem, little dude. Texas can stay over here, you just gotta--” He stopped short. Eyes widening, he blinked, mouth falling open, then said, “Oh, _hey!_ You showed me your treasure! All right, _Texas!_ Hang on, Texas has got plenty of--”

“Oh,” Mike said, and if his blush had died down it was back redoubled now. “Oh, no, I didn't mean--it wasn't--”

“Here, you'll like this one,” Texas said, rooting around in a pouch at his waist. He pulled out something Chuck thought at first was a shiny rock, then realized was a massive pearl, pale silver and almost perfectly round.

“Oh,” Mike said again, and this time he sounded more than a little breathless. His stride hitched and slowed, and Texas slowed with him, of course.

Oh for fuck’s sake, Chuck thought in despair. Texas was wooing Mike dragon-style, and it was _working_. Part of his mind couldn't help taking note of that pearl, the size and near flawlessness of it, and considering what an excellent spell-component it would make, but mainly he was watching the struggle on Mike’s face.

“ _Yeah_ ,” Texas said with satisfaction. He kept displaying the pearl with one hand and went rummaging again with the other. “Oh hey, yeah, you like gold, okay, so check _this_ out.” Between thumb and forefinger he pulled out an uneven lump of pale golden pearl, much smaller than the silvery one. Mike stared, eyes fixing on it in that unblinking dragony way, and Chuck’s heart sank.

“Oh yeah,” Texas said smugly. “Who has the best treasure? _Texas!_ ”

Mike took a second to look up at him, and it seemed to take a physical effort to tear his eyes away from the pearl, but then he blinked a few times and his lips pressed together, stubborn. “I mean, it's nice,” he said, “but I don't see any _living_ treasure.”

Texas looked affronted. “Yeah, so? Not everybody wants it! You gotta feed ‘em and like, keep ‘em safe and stuff! Pain in the butt, who needs it?”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, if it's a deer or something, but humans take care of themselves pretty good on their own. And some of them are _way_ cooler than pretty pieces of rock and stuff.” He gave Chuck a proud, proprietary look and Chuck barely kept his jaw from dropping.

On the one hand, having Mike boast about him like a pretty trinket or a clever pet should probably not feel like a compliment, but on the other, further proof that a _dragon_ valued Chuck more highly than some really nice gems was pretty damn flattering.

“Oh, whoa, no way,” Texas said, straightening indignantly as he dropped the pearls back into their pouch again. “Pearls ain't _rocks_ , okay, they're way cooler, and plus Texas had to fight giant nasty water monsters with really big teeth for these things! You can't just be like, ‘no, Texas, my dumb nerd is totally better than these super awesome pearls,’ just because pearls don't _talk!_ ”

“He's not better just because he can talk, dude,” Mike said, smiling a little as he lengthened his stride again. “He's better for a whole bunch of reasons. Like, he's really, really smart, he can read like a bunch of different languages, and he's a super good mage, he's mastered his native alignment and almost mastered a second one, and he's going for three or four.”

Chuck’s face was hot. A clever and beloved pet, yeah, that was about right. And he was almost as embarrassed by how nice it was to be boasted over as he was by the boasting.

“Also,” Mike went on, undaunted by the dubious look on Texas’s face, “he's powerful, didn't you notice?”

“...Yeah,” Texas said grudgingly, and Chuck made a mental note to ask Mike later how the hell Texas knew how much power he had when he hadn't even seen him do any magic. Unless measuring magical capacity was part of being able to feel magic in the first place?

“He's powerful and smart and really brave,” Mike said, and Chuck rubbed a hand over his burning face. “He's hunting spells to help him get realigned, and he keeps going to all these dangerous places to look for old Eklesian texts and things. He's not even trained as a fighter, and he's not tough like us, he could get hurt really easily, but he keeps going anyway. Also, he knows some great spells!” Mike finished with enthusiasm.

“Yeah? Like what?” Texas said.

“Oh geez, all kinds of stuff; like I said, he's a really good mage--but okay, there's this one ward he knows that doesn't do light or noise to alert you, it just kinda… jolts you? Wakes you up if you're asleep, if you're awake it feels like somebody just poked you like, ‘pay attention’. And you know how normal wards are prickly? This one _ripples_ ,” he said, grinning.

Chuck had absolutely no idea what that meant or why it would be impressive, but Texas looked intrigued.

“Huh,” he said, looking Chuck over again. “Cool.”

“Yeah,” Mike said. “Also, he's got runes on him that _glow_ sometimes.”

Chuck gaped at Mike, speechless for multiple reasons. How dare he mention that to a stranger, for one, and how dare he sound so _smug_ about it, like it was anything but a massive inconvenience--

Texas frowned, eyes flickering up and down Chuck, examining the small amount of skin he was showing. “What, like, for real? Where?”

“Under his clothes,” Mike said, shrugging, and then sternly as Texas opened his mouth, “and _no_ you can't see!”

Texas huffed, and Chuck covered his face with both hands to muffle a hysterical giggle. It was better than screaming, or yelling indignantly, which probably wouldn't work so well with two dragons anyway. It seemed like a fascination with glowing things was a species trait, and not just specific to Mike.

“Yeah, well,” Texas said, “how's Texas sposed to know they're real if you won't show ‘em? You're just making it up cuz that's cooler.”

“I am not!” Mike said.

“So lemme see!” Texas said, and Chuck drifted closer to the edge of the road as he walked so he'd have more time to dodge if Mike was tempted.

Mike just sighed at Texas, though. “Dude. No. That's not how it works, with living treasure. You don't get to do whatever you want with them, okay?” His blush, which had gone away by now, abruptly returned, and Chuck couldn't help staring, wondering what that was about. “You can't just--” he waved a hand aimlessly, “treat them like things, show them off like a vase or a bracelet or something, you have to be careful, so they know they're safe.”

“Texas isn't gonna hurt him!” Texas said. “I just wanna see his glowy bits!”

Chuck made a choking noise and just managed to bite back another snort of less-than-stable laughter. Mike threw him a quick look, checking on him, and turned back to frown at Texas.

“He doesn't like showing skin,” he said. “So you can't see them, because he's not taking off his shirt.”

Texas looked mutinous and Chuck bit his lip. It was flattering to be the center of two dragons’ attention, but if they started fighting it still wasn't going to go well for him.

Silently he called up the spell he needed and cast it, and both dragons immediately looked over like he'd called their names. A human wouldn't have even noticed, it wasn't like he needed a hand gesture.

“Here,” he said, holding up the back of one hand so Texas could see it. “This is what they look like.”

Texas stared at the rune glowing blue on that hand and shook his head in disappointment. “Little dude,” he said heavily to Mike, “that ain't _real_. Has he been foolin’ you this whole time?”

“Wha--no!” Mike said, exasperated.

“This,” Chuck said loudly, “is an _illusion_ , which mirrors what one of my runes _actually looks like_ when it glows.”

Texas’s mouth opened. “Oh,” he said. He stared for a while, so Chuck kept holding his hand up to be observed as they walked along, amused to notice that Mike was watching even more hungrily. Neither dragon was blinking.

After a moment he started moving his hand higher and then lower, slow as if idly, and watched as two heads tilted in unison to track the glow. He had to stop after a few minutes because it was getting hard to bite back the giggles. He wasn't sure what would happen if he laughed out loud at two dragons, but it didn't seem like a safe experiment to run.

Eventually Texas shook himself a little and turned ostentatiously back to Mike, eyes flickering one last time to Chuck’s hand before he pulled them away again. “Well,” he said with a broad shrug. “I guess your treasure’s pretty good. You wanna show Texas some more?”

Mike’s step hitched. Mouth a little open, eyes fixed on the road in front of him, he looked like he was fighting a fierce internal battle, which Chuck still found inexplicable. Mike clearly liked Texas a lot, for a just-met stranger, was happy to boast to him about… his treasure, and was impressed by Texas’s treasure, and impressed by _Texas_ for that matter. From all appearances, Texas’s courtship had been pretty effective. So why did it keep hitting snags?

Mike took a deep breath. “Sorry, dude, I--I wasn't actually showing you him in the first place, we're just--it's different, with living treasure, you don't hide it.”

Texas’s brows went up. “Uh- _huh_ ,” he said. “You were talkin’ him up and tellin’ Texas just how great he was and everything, but you totally weren't showin’ him off.”

Mike's mouth opened and hung there a second as his face flushed again. “I--well, you--you were discounting him,” he said uncomfortably. “Like he wasn't very good treasure. I had to make sure you understood that he _is_.”

Texas glanced over at Chuck, down at his hand where he'd dropped the rune illusion. “Well, yeah, okay,” Texas said, and frowned at Mike. “So--you _got_ any more treasure? Or is he, like, it? Cuz you don't gotta worry, Texas is okay with that. Little hoards are okay, not everybody's got as much to show off as Texas.” He grinned, flexing.

Mike bristled. “I have _plenty_ \--okay, no, _first_ of all if he _was_ all I had, he'd be enough!”

Heart skipping a beat, Chuck threw a wide-eyed look sideways at Mike, who was frowning at Texas and didn't notice.

“And second,” Mike went on, “I have _lots_ of other treasure. Chuck keeps our packs in a mage pocket while we're traveling, not that it matters because I wouldn't be--I--I'm not gonna show you,” he finished, voice dropping abruptly. “Sorry.”

“Huh,” Texas said, still frowning. “Texas can show you more,” he offered, poking through his pouch with one thick finger. “Got lots’a pearls, different colors and shapes, got a couple lumps of gold--”

“No,” Mike said, still quiet. “That's okay.”

“Oh,” Texas said. “Uh. Texas could twine for you some more, you wanna see? You weren't watchin’, you probably missed it all, and Texas is super good at--”

“No, I saw,” Mike said. “It--you're really good. But. No.” He sounded miserable, which was just bizarre. If he wanted the guy that much he shouldn't be turning him down.

Chuck was distracted by watching Texas, though, heart in his throat as he waited for the snarling explosion. The fire under his skin was flaring again, looking for a way out, as utterly useless as it would be against a dragon. Mike might not like it if Chuck used a control spell on Texas, but if that was the alternative to having Texas take out his disappointment on Mike, Chuck wouldn't hesitate.

Instead of exploding, though, Texas stared at Mike for a minute and shrugged. “Well, whatever, little guy. If you don't wanna spend time with Texas, Texas’s got plenty of other--”

“No, I do!” Mike said, jerking upright from his hunch. “Spend time, that's different, I--I'd love to hang out and--be friends! Could we be friends?”

Texas blinked at him, mouth hanging open before he said, “Yeah? Totally! Texas is an awesome friend!”

“You totally are,” Mike said, grinning at him with his entire face lit up. All the discomfort that had weighed him down and the unhappiness of turning Texas down had transformed into delight.

Texas grinned back, looking a little stunned. “So uh, friends like, who don't fly twining?”

Mike’s grin dimmed, going uncertain. “Yeah. Is that okay?”

Texas shrugged again. “Yeah, just checkin’. You'd be fun to twine with, you got a real nice neck.”

Mike went red. “Um! Thanks? I--uh, so! Do you live around here?”

Chuck idly listened to the conversation, making notes for various questions to ask Mike later. For instance, what the hell was so embarrassing about having a nice neck? It wasn't like Texas had complimented his ass or something--unless it was. Chuck obviously needed to learn about dragon cultural mores. Or possibly dragon _sex_ \--twining, huh?

Texas hung around for the rest of the afternoon, boasting and telling stories and chatting with Mike, who hung on his every word. Several times Texas seemed to get confused by this and started flexing again, only for Mike to look awkward and hastily distract him with another question. It was equal parts sad and kind of adorable.

Late in the afternoon Texas stopped walking and clapped Mike on the back. “All right, Tiny, Texas doesn't do towns unless he's gotta, so. You kids have fun, don't get jumped by bonetakers--good thing you got a mage to watch your back!” he told Mike.

Mike gave Chuck a startled look for some reason, but Chuck nodded firmly at Texas, who grinned and clapped him on the back too, staggering him.

“See ya later!” Texas said. Transforming, he leapt into the air in an uncoiling movement like a snake striking, and once free of the ground, curled lazily around to nod at Mike, his mane flaring.

“ _Will_ we see you later?” Mike asked, transparently hopeful and uncertain.

“For sure, dude!” Texas said in his deeper, rougher dragon voice. “Texas’ll find you, no problem! Texas got some stuff to do, but he'll come back later, few weeks or a month or something. Don't let your treasure run off now,” he added, looping away through the sky, and somehow vanished like he'd flown into a fog bank Chuck couldn't see.

Mike huffed quietly, still smiling. “That's not how it works,” he pointed out to the empty sky, and turned to start walking again.

Chuck considered him out of the corner of his eye for a while. Mike was a pretty cheerful guy, but right now he seemed lighter than usual somehow, delighted with life. It was dumb for Chuck to get insecure over that when Mike had already turned down the guy who apparently made him so happy. Which still seemed really odd.

“So,” Chuck said, still thinking.

Mike shot him a sideways look. “Mm?” he said in a wary tone.

“If ‘twining’ is the dragon term for sex--”

“Oh my god,” Mike said. “Dude. Come on, no. I'm not helping you write a, a mono-thing--”

“A monograph?”

“Yeah, on… whatever you're thinking. No.”

“Like dragon courtship rituals, for instance.”

Mike flushed. “Yeah, no.”

“You won't answer my questions?” Chuck said, and directed a sad look through his bangs.

Mike faltered. “I--you can't--it's not…”

“I'll name you as coauthor if you want,” Chuck coaxed. “Like my research partner.”

Blinking, Mike looked at him a minute. “Partners,” he said softly, and smiled. There was a pause, and then he blew out a long breath. “...Fine. You can ask. But I might not answer everything! This stuff is really--”

“Private, yes, of course, I understand,” Chuck said happily. “So, am I right that his flight display was attractive because of the flexibility shown, or was there some other--”

“Oh my god,” Mike mumbled, and spent the rest of the walk to town red-cheeked and stammering as he answered or evaded Chuck’s questions. Chuck only felt a little guilty for enjoying it.


End file.
